Oregon State University and the Coalition of Graduate Employees bargaining team came to a tentative agreement Friday night.
The agreement includes a 13% raise to the minimum, a three year contract, a 3% raise for returning grads this year, 2.85% for grads returning in 2025, 2.75% for those returning in 2026 and 2% for those returning in 2027.
According to Austin Bosgraaf, president of the CGE, they have brought the tentative agreement to the rest of the members for vote. Should the majority approve, the strike will end, but if the agreement is voted down, CGE and OSU will continue bargaining but not necessarily return to the strike immediately.
CGE has until Monday night to come to a decision on this contract.
The CGE went on strike on Nov. 12 after months of negotiating. CGE was originally looking for a 50% raise to the minimum, and OSU was at 8%. CGE represents over 1,700 Graduate Employees and has been established for 25 years but this was the first union strike at OSU.
“We believe that CGE’s direct actions played a key role in moving the university during these negotiations, and we will have to see the vote through before we know how members feel about the agreement,” Bosgraaf said. “We will keep fighting for our workers and organizing for the next contract cycle.”
OSU said they are hopeful to share further details over the coming days, according to Lanesha Reagan, strategic communications and public affairs manager at OSU.
Reporter Kip Franich contributed to this story.